The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced Monday the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) New Hampshire Connect program has been awarded a three year 1.5 million dollar grant to implement and enhance services to prevent suicide among young people.  Connect, is a nationally-recognized program developed by NAMI NH that provides suicide prevention training and support services to communities and key service providers throughout the state. Based on the leadership role NAMI NH has played in NH’s suicide prevention efforts, Governor John Lynch designated NAMI NH to be the New Hampshire applicant for the youth suicide prevention grant.

"This proposal is built on the belief that it takes a community to prevent suicide," said Michael J. Cohen, Executive Director of NAMI New Hampshire.  "Through this grant NAMI NH will lead public and private providers and community coalitions in increasing public awareness of suicide prevention and improving access to mental health care.  Grant funds will be used to train communities, law enforcement, faith leaders, military and other key stakeholders in implementing NAMI NH's national best practice, the Connect suicide prevention program. The grant will also work closely with the Suicide Prevention Council to help strengthen and implement the state suicide prevention plan."

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in NH for ages 15-34.  Target groups of youth and young adults will include veterans and National Guard members; youth in foster care; gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender populations, and youth with substance use and addiction disorders.  Through its’ Connect program NAMI NH has provided awareness and skill based suicide prevention training to over 4,000 New Hampshire residents, including 250 New Hampshire State Troopers, 200 National Guard officers and staff, 150 school guidance counselors, hundreds of teachers and 85 faith leaders.  The grant will allow NAMI NH to continue the work.

Having known someone who dies by suicide increases that individual’s risk for suicide.  An important aspect of prevention efforts is to provide supports to family, friends and colleagues who lose a loved one to suicide.  This grant will provide training, technical assistance to communities and support to promote healing and reduce risk after a suicide death. 

As citizen soldiers, our National Guard and Reserve members and their families face challenges which can increase their risk for suicide.  Veterans are also at increased risk for suicide.  The grant will build on the efforts that NAMI NH and the State Suicide Prevention Council have made to reduce the risk of suicide in our military and veterans populations. 

NAMI NH has a record of connecting New Hampshire individuals with the training they need to recognize mental illness, substance use disorders and other risk factors that lead to suicidal behavior.  As a public health issue, suicide is largely preventable when community members are trained to recognize early warning signs and to take action on behalf of those at risk.  The grant will also help support the crisis response capacity of Headrest in Lebanon NH.  Headrest answers all calls originating in NH to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.
 
With research support from the Endowment for Health, Connect has been able to demonstrate statistically significant positive outcomes in:

• participants’ knowledge and confidence in responding to suicide
• an increased belief in the importance of mental health care and
• a reduction in stigmatizing attitudes. 

These positive outcomes contributed toward the Connect program earning designation as a National Best Practice Program.  As stipulated by Congress, a significant portion of the grant funds goes toward project evaluation and a national evaluation of all SAMHSA funded suicide prevention projects.  Antioch University New England in Keene will lead the project evaluation for the grant in NH. 

While the grant will provide training and technical assistance throughout New Hampshire, It will particularly focus community based training efforts on Coos County.  The County’s rural nature presents residents with increased risk factors for suicide such as high unemployment, difficulty accessing health care, lack of public transportation and high rates of substance use. NAMI NH is currently funded by a Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund Grant through the NH Charitable Foundation to provide suicide prevention services in the Groveton area.  With this SAMHSA funding NAMI NH will collaborate with the North Country Health Consortium and other local providers and be able to continue its work in Groveton and expand to other towns in the county. The grant will also allow for trainings in New Hampshire's Seacoast Area, where highly publicized deaths and attempts have catalyzed the formation of a local coalition to address suicide prevention efforts.  

Legislatively established in 2008, the NH Suicide Prevention Council brings public and private partners together with a mission of promoting awareness of suicide prevention efforts in NH and overseeing implementation of the NH Suicide Prevention Grant.  Under the grant, NAMI NH will provide consultation and technical assistance to the Suicide Prevention Council in carrying out their mission. 

It is everyone’s responsibility to prevent suicide.  Warning signs include: talking about death or dying, isolation, anger/rage, hopelessness, increased use of alcohol or other drugs and mood changes.  If you are worried about someone you think is at risk of suicide call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255).  For more information on suicide prevention in NH go to www.theconnectproject.org  or www.naminh.org